Christopher Humby

• Commercial Law

Chris practices across all areas of the construction, engineering, energy and technology sectors.

Chris has particular experience acting in large scale and complex construction and engineering litigation and arbitration – in both the domestic and international contexts. He is regularly instructed as counsel (both led and unled) in litigation, arbitrations, mediations, and expert determinations.

Chris is recognised by Doyle’s Guide as a leading construction and infrastructure junior counsel in Australia (2024) and South Australia (2023 and 2024). As a solicitor he was noted by Legal 500 UK 2021 for International Arbitration and selected as a “Rising Star” by US legal publication Law360 for 2019 in the area of construction.

Prior to being called to the Bar, Chris was an Of Counsel at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP in London. In that role he managed arbitrations and related litigation arising out of significant construction and energy projects in the Middle East.

Chris holds a Master of Laws from the University of Melbourne specialising in construction law and dispute resolution. He has published and presented on construction and arbitration issues in Australia, the UK and the Middle East. Chris is also a registered adjudicator under the Western Australian Building and Construction Industry (Security of Payment) Act 2021.

Some examples of Chris’ experience include:

Arbitrations

• Acting for a principal in significant arbitration proceedings concerning claims of delay and disruption, variations, misleading or deceptive conduct, unconscionable conduct and contamination in excess of $1 billion in relation to a PPP healthcare project (led by 2 silks and one of 3 junior counsel).
• Acting for an international JV contractor in ongoing arbitration proceedings against a principal in relation to a substantial wind farm project (led by Nicholas Floreani KC).
• As a solicitor, instructed by a Middle Eastern government entity in an ICC arbitration against a multi-national joint venture involving claims of over $1 billion arising out of the design and construction of a flagship healthcare project.

Reported cases

• Goyder Wind Farm 1 Pty Ltd v GE Renewable Energy Australia Pty Ltd & Ors [2024] SASC 108 (judicial review of an adjudicator’s determination under the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 2009 (SA))
• Rossdale Homes Pty Ltd v Torrens Road Developments Pty Ltd [2024] SADC 90 (application for security for costs)
• Allied Grain Systems v Inheritance Capital Asset Management P/L [2023] SASC 175 (an application by a contractor for relief from the Court in relation to unlicenced building work)
• Wang v Gelnar P/L [2023] SASC 43 (a single Judge appeal in the Supreme Court of SA from a decision of the Magistrates Court of SA)

As solicitor, challenges to arbitral awards in the English High Court:

• Obrascon Huarte Lain SA (T/A OHL Internacional) & Anor v Qatar Foundation for Education, Science & Community Development [2019] EWHC 2539 (Comm)
• Obrascon Huarte Lain SA (trading as OHL Internacional) v Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development [2020] EWHC 1643 (Comm)

Chris’ full CV is available on request.

 

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation. The information referred to above has been supplied by the barrister concerned. Neither Victorian Bar Inc nor the barrister's clerk have independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the information and neither accepts any responsibility in that regard.